U.S News & World Report advises patients to learn all they can about what to expect prior to committing to surgery, and the questions to ask according to experts to make the best decisions and optimize surgical outcomes.

Daniel W. Green, MD, MS, FAAP, FACS, pediatric orthopedic surgeon at HSS, advises patients to speak with their physician about how surgery will affect them in the short and long term and immediate postoperative expectations. Dr. Green also discussed common questions he is asked, pertaining to seeking a second opinion, feeling pain during surgery and managing pain postoperatively.

“Gone are the days when patients routinely went home with a week's worth or more of prescription opioid pain medicine, for instance after a major knee surgery,” said Dr. Green. "Nowadays, it's probably: Go home with a two- or three-day supply [narcotic medications] and don't take it unless you need it," he continued, with instructions to safely dispose of any extra pills. "We're talking more about the alternatives to narcotic medications – which could be ice, elevation, Advil or Tylenol – than we used to."

Read the article at health.usnews.com.